Enlightenment_And_The_French_Revolution

Enlightenment And The French Revolution The effect of the Enlightenment on the French Revolution has created a debate which will not be resolved soon. However, in general, it can be said that there is no casual relationship between the philosophies of the Enlightenment and the outbreak of the French Revolution. Few philosophies, if any, advocated revolution for one reason which is very clear. The violent overthrow of the existing order of things was not advocated because violence is contrary to human reason. However, because the philosophies of the enlightenment attacked the established order together with authority of any kind, their ideas helped to produce what can only be called a revolutionary mentality. The philosophies advocated the use of reason in all human affairs. They knew that reason, together with its sister, criticism, could affect change. Change in morals, a change in human knowledge, and a change in human happiness. In rhetoric and institution, the French Revolution was a liberal revolution in which the liberty of the individual was proclaimed and private property was respected. The cornerstone of the Enlightenment proved to be the key that would unlock the door of the absolute monarchy. That key was ideology. Ideology is, in a way, the secular equivalent of theology. revolution, enlightenment, change, french, reason, philosophies, ideas, human, themselves, society, philosophers, ideology, however, because, advocated, together, time, things, social, secular, prophets, people, order, one, monarchy, modern, marx, made, key, individual, indeed, holds, future, few, created